1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus for a liquid drop emission apparatus which emits a liquid drop from every liquid drop emission mechanism.
2. Related Art
A printer which drives a driving element to emit an ink drop on each of a plurality of emission mechanisms is tested for normal emission of an ink drop from a nozzle, as disclosed in JP-A-2005-305992. According to JP-A-2005-305992, a transistor (“transistor 44” in JP-A-2005-305992) whose ground side electrodes of plural driving elements are coupled with one another in common is provided, and plural emission mechanisms are each made emit an ink drop while the transistor is being kept on. Meanwhile, the driving elements to be tested are driven one by one while the transistor is being kept off, so that the emission mechanisms are tested one by one.
As, however, currents having gathered from the respective plural driving elements to emit ink drops pass through the transistor and flow into the ground while the transistor is being kept on, an element of a large current capacity has to be used for the transistor. Thus, there are problems in that the transistor has to be mounted independently as one of electronic parts, that space or wiring has to be secured for the transistor, and that a circuit for a decision on failure in the plural emission mechanisms cannot be downsized. Further, as whether an emission mechanism is in failure or not is decided on the basis of a voltage on a line where the ground side electrodes of the plural driving elements are coupled with one another in common in the wiring, an emission mechanism not to be tested cannot emit ink. That is, there is a problem in that only one driving element to be tested can emit an ink drop and the driving elements cannot be tested in a period of time for carrying out any printing job.